Now researchers at New York University say that by studying the man they have gained new insights into how worms promote intestinal healing.

The investigation could lead to potential targets for more conventional ways of treating bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis, parasitologist and researcher P’ng Loke, PhD, of NYU Langone Medical Center tells WebMD.

Research is also under way in the U.S. and Europe to determine if a pharmaceutical-grade worm egg liquid is useful for treating a range of health conditions, including Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and even food allergies.

“We have known for a while that these parasitic worms could be beneficial for treating ulcerative colitis, but we haven’t really understood why,” Loke says. “By analyzing this patient, we may have found some answers.”

Treating Bowel Disease With Worms

The patient, who preferred to remain anonymous, was in his mid-30s when he was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis in 2003.

He did not respond to steroid treatments, his condition progressed rapidly, and within a year his doctors told him that surgery to remove his colon or immune system-suppressing therapy were his only options.

Instead, after reading about early trials involving the parasitic pig whipworm Trichuris suis, the patient decided to infect himself with parasitic whipworm found in humans.

The main difference between the two worms is that the pig worm is eliminated from the body in just a few weeks, while the human version -- Trichuris trichiura -- makes its home in the large intestine for up to five years, Loke says.

“This patient did a lot of research,” the investigator says. “He may be one of the smartest people I know. He was very aware of the risks.”

Using worm eggs provided by a parasitologist in Thailand, the man ingested 500 eggs in late 2004 and 1,000 more eggs three months later.

Egg Treatment Led to Remission

His symptoms improved over the following months and by mid-2005 he had no symptoms at all and required no treatment for his disease.